"HOW WE GOT TO THE MOON" by John Rocco
Name HOW WE GOT TO THE MOON" John Rocco
Biography: Early Life and Education
John Rocco is an acclaimed American author and illustrator best known for his contributions to children's literature. Born on July 9, 1967, in Providence, Rhode Island, Rocco grew up passionate about storytelling and art. His journey into the creative world began with a love for comic books, fantasy novels, and classic illustrations, which shaped his distinctive style. Rocco attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and later continued his studies at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. These formative years honed his skills as an illustrator and set the foundation for a career in fine art and commercial illustration.
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| John Rocco at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Success Stories Conference in 2008. |
Career Highlights
Before delving into children's books, Rocco worked as an art director in the film and video game industry. He contributed to high-profile projects, including designing attractions for Walt Disney Imagineering and creating visual elements for popular games.
Rocco gained widespread recognition for illustrating the book covers of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. His dynamic and visually striking designs became synonymous with the franchise's identity. This collaboration introduced his work to a global audience and solidified his reputation as a top-tier illustrator.
As an author-illustrator, Rocco wrote and illustrated several critically acclaimed picture books, including
"Blackout" (2011), a Caldecott Honor Book that captures a New York City family's experience during a power outage.
"Blizzard" (2014), inspired by his childhood memories of a historic snowstorm.
"Hurricane" (2021), exploring themes of resilience and community during natural disasters.
Rocco's work often combines vibrant imagery with heartfelt storytelling, resonating deeply with readers of all ages.
Personal Life and Legacy
Rocco is married and has a daughter, whom he often cites as a source of inspiration. He enjoys connecting with readers and aspiring artists through school visits, workshops, and literary festivals.Through his evocative illustrations and compelling narratives, John Rocco continues to leave an indelible mark on children's literature, inspiring future generations of readers and creators alike.
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| John and Hayley Rocco with Tori Gray, the manager of the Wild Tomorrow conservation project. They are pictured with a sleeping elephant. |
Review:
How We Got to the Moon by John Rocco surpasses being a mere historical account of the Apollo program, transforming into an inspiring narrative that bridges the past and future for young adult readers. It vividly captures the technical ingenuity and human perseverance that fueled the moon landing, making it an essential exploration of one of humanity’s greatest achievements. With its rich storytelling, this book not only informs but also empowers teens to see themselves as potential trailblazers in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as broader areas of innovation.
The book excels in portraying the resilience and creativity required to overcome monumental challenges, emphasizing that progress is built on collaboration and determination. Rocco masterfully spotlights the often-overlooked contributions of women and people of color, weaving their stories into the broader tapestry of the Apollo program. This representation is especially significant, as it gives young readers from diverse backgrounds a mirror to see their own possibilities and a reminder that ingenuity and ambition are not confined by circumstance or identity.
Rocco’s approach to storytelling is immersive, blending intricate illustrations with accessible explanations that demystify complex concepts like propulsion systems, lunar landers, and space navigation. This dual engagement of the visual and intellectual makes the book a particularly valuable resource for students of varying interests and learning styles. Whether a reader is drawn to the artistic renderings or the scientific details, they are bound to find elements that resonate and ignite curiosity. The narrative strikes a balance between technical precision and emotional depth, ensuring that the human stories behind the technology are never overshadowed.
More than a recounting of historical milestones, How We Got to the Moon parallels the teenage journey of self-discovery. Rocco frames the Apollo mission as a series of iterative steps filled with failures, adjustments, and eventual triumphs—an analogy that deeply resonates with young adults navigating their own paths. This metaphor encourages readers to embrace challenges, learn from setbacks, and recognize that growth often comes from the most difficult experiences.
As a classroom resource, the book is unparalleled in its interdisciplinary appeal. It ties together history, STEM, art, and social studies, offering teachers a multifaceted tool to engage students. The book’s vivid illustrations and engaging prose make complex topics like engineering and problem-solving accessible to all learners, fostering a sense of wonder and discovery. Its emphasis on teamwork and resilience opens avenues for discussions about collaboration and innovation, skills essential for any future career. Additionally, the stories of perseverance and diverse contributions invite conversations about equity, representation, and the power of inclusion in driving societal progress.
For individual readers, the book serves as a personal guide to ambition and curiosity, inspiring them to imagine their own futures. It nurtures a sense of possibility, showing that the extraordinary is often the result of ordinary people daring to dream and persevere. By connecting historical accomplishments to universal values like perseverance, creativity, and teamwork, How We Got to the Moon becomes more than a history book—it becomes a blueprint for imagining a better future.
Ultimately, Rocco’s work invites readers not only to appreciate the monumental achievement of the moon landing but also to consider how they might contribute to the world. It’s a call to action for young adults to think big, stay curious, and work tirelessly toward their goals, making it an invaluable addition to personal and educational libraries alike.
Instructional Resources:
- Virtual Book Talk: How We Got to the Moon: In this video, the author of How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanities Greatest Adventure discusses his book with author, speaker and astronomer Johnathan Ward and author and space journalist Andrew Chaikin. Created by Cosmosphere: International Sci-Ed Center and Science Museum.
- Landing a Man on the Moon: President Nixon and the Apollo Program: A high school level activity created by the Nixon Presidential Library Education Team focusing on historical analysis and interpretation skills. Activity asks students to analyze primary documents and photographs in order to better understand the Apollo mission, the moon landing, and the space race.
- An Overview of Newton's Laws of Motion | Physics in Motion: This engaging video by GPB Education explains Newton’s three laws of motion by using examples that students can easily understand, such as arm wrestling and go-kart racing. Included in their playlist titled Physics in Motion, which explains various physics concepts such as vectors, velocity, and kinematic equations.
- The Road to Apollo: An Interactive Journey: A teaching resource created by PBS in their U.S. History Collection. This audio/visual activity guides students through Apollo missions 1, 8, and 11 then invites students to form small groups to complete mission segments. Also includes resources for background reading, discussion questions, and vocabulary building.
- Katherine Johnson: Published by NASA, this series of sources includes Kathering Johnson’s biography, and several articles about her life and legacy.
- The Space Race: Timeline, Cold War and Facts: This source includes information from a variety of topics such as the causes of the space race, the contributions of NASA, and the impact of the Apollo missions.
- The Computer that Got Us to the Moon - The Apollo Guidance Computer: This video made by SciJoy explains the functions of the AGC and how it functioned as a computer program. Its control of position, velocity, navigation, acceleration, and landing is detailed to show how the spacecraft was able to successfully land on the moon and return to Earth.
- Dottie Lee Oral History: This source includes the full transcript of the Johnson Space Center’s interview with Dorothy B. Lee, who contributed to the design and development of NASA spacecraft.
- Rockets Educator Guide: This collection of sources by NASA includes teaching resources for a wide range of grades, varying in topics from engineering, history, mathematics, physics, rocketry, and technology. Several articles and interactive activities are included.
Instructional Activity:
California Common Core Standards:
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.
Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11-12 texts and topics.
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
Resources and Preparation:
9-12 grade with time frame of a 60 minute class period
Objective:
In order to study and explain how humanity accomplished the lunar landing, students will combine and assess material from a variety of sources, including articles, NASA data, infographics, and video clips.
Materials Needed:
1. Brief snippets of Apollo 11 content
2. Historical articles (e.g., about the Apollo Program)
3. Infographics or visuals (e.g., timelines, schematics of Apollo spacecraft)
4. NASA data or interactive tools (e.g., NASA's
Apollo missions webpage)
6. Projector
Lesson Procedure for “ How We Got to the Moon”
Warm up to the lesson (10 minutes)
Activity for the whole class:
Begin with the short excerpt of a documentary showing the video clip from Apollo 11 showing the lunar landing.
After watching, ask students:
What challenges might have been faced in making the moon landing possible?
What types of information would people have needed to solve these challenges?
Discuss any prior knowledge students know about the landing.
STATIONS ( 25 minutes )
Guided activity:
https://airandspace.si.edu/explore/stories/space-race
Station 1 : Examining Various Sources
With an emphasis on significant turning points, students read passages concerning the Apollo Program.
Question: What technological, social, and political elements had a role in the moon landing?
Station 2: Data and Infographics
https://www.nasa.gov/gallery/project-apollo-technical-diagrams/
Provide drawings of the spacecraft diagrams for the Apollo mission schedule.
In what ways do visual aids aid in our comprehension of intricate procedures?
Station 3: Video Analysis
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z4cn93H6sM0
After watching a clip about the engineering difficulties of building a spacecraft, students will respond to the following questions: What technological advancements were essential to the Apollo mission's success? (News broadcast)
Station 4: NASA Interactive Data
https://psmag.com/social-justice/ground-control-to-major-tim-cook/Students will investigate what were NASA’s Apollo mission resources. Question: What quantitative information is crucial to comprehending space exploration?
bring back class to a full class discussion
3. Integration and Evaluation with debriefing ( 15 minutes)
What parallels and differences did you observe between the sources?
• "How do various media formats aid in our comprehension of the moon landing narrative?"
• are there any remaining questions that you guys still have?
4. Closing Activity (10 minutes)
Make an Interactive Response: • Students create a brief justification for the question either alone
How did people land on the moon? ( At least two of the examined sources must be incorporated into their response for citing their evidence )
Bibliography
Huang, Rita Canyon. “SCBWI-LA 2008.rhcrayon-0238.” flickr, 8 Aug 2008, https:// www.flickr.com/photos/rhcrayon/2743137213/.
Gray, Tori. “Untitled.” Wild Tomorrow, 9 Jul 2024, https://wildtomorrow.org/blog/2024/7/8/ hello-im-a-pangolin.
Rocco, John. Blackout book cover. Blackout, Rocco, John, Disney Hyperion, 2012. Front cover.
Rocco, John. Hurricane book cover. Hurricane, Rocco, John, Disney Hyperion, 2021. Front cover.
Rocco, John. Blizzard book cover. Blizzard, Rocco, John, Disney Hyperion, 2014. Front cover.
